[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has refuted claims by General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald that the TSC has been denying teachers legal promotions by ignoring the agreed criteria for promotions and advancement.
The TSC in a statement on Tuesday October 1 said it does in fact use the agreed criteria and has gone even further to have a more comprehensive method of advancement and promotion with the recommendation of the Supervising Officers as part of its consideration before making the final decision.
The TSC explained that the reason for including the recommendation was “because the experience of the TSC showed that the agreed criteria alone could not capture vital and necessary elements for the purposes of providing a complete analysis of the teacher’s profile.”
According to the TSC, since the last promotion exercise, consultations were held with the Ministry of Education which resulted in a few important decisions being taken.
“Among them is the need for evidence to support a ‘NOT RECOMMENDED’ statement by Regional Education Officers. This statement must include charges for any offences, if any, with the accompanying report of the ‘Hearing’ held. If the event in question does not necessitate a Hearing by the TSC then copies of warning letters must also be sent and kept for TSC files. In any event, all such actions must occur prior to the period of promotion.”
In relation to the issue mentioned by the President of Guyana Teachers’ Union at the Black Bush Secondary School, evidence to support the “NOT RECOMMENDED” statement was submitted by the Regional Education Office.
The Commission said, “This evidence was shown to the General Secretary of the GTU at a meeting and had there been any discrepancies discovered within the evidence, and then this ought to have been brought to the attention of TSC. The Headmaster referred to had several charges more serious than cases of insubordination.”
The statement concluded that the composition of the TSC with representative commissioners from the major political parties, and stakeholders including the Guyana Teachers’ Union and its constitutional independence disabuses any allegations of “favoritism” and “certain connections”.
